Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship. Check out the frequently challenged books section to explore the issues and controversies around book challenges and book banning. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted with removal or restrictions in libraries and schools. While books have been and continue to be banned, part of the Banned Books Week celebration is the fact that, in a majority of cases, the books have remained available. This happens only thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, students, and community members who stand up and speak out for the freedom to read.

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8 thoughts on “Banned Books Week 2013”

i remember my dad used to always get the banned books… & the banned children’s books as well for us to read. i never got why they were really so “horrible” they had to be banned… just a bunch of uber-sensitive people getting offended at things they shouldn’t.

I can tell you that the ALA’s Top 10 List is faked, having books on it that were promoted up the ladder by the ALA just for political reasons. I learned this from one of the authors of one of the listed books who said the ALA told her others books were challenged more than hers but hers dealt with an important issue and was actually removed from a school.

See also:

“Banned Books Week Propaganda Exposed by Progressive Librarian Rory Litwin; ALA Censors Out Criticism of Its Own Actions in a Manner Dishonest to the Core”

It is nice to see you again. You originally posted a similar comment on my blog two years ago when I posted about Banned Books Week. Then, as now, you found my post and added a comment within hours. I know Google has an RSS feed for news items. Is there something similar for the blogosphere that you subscribe to? I wouldn’t mind having a tool like that myself. Is there such a tool or are you paid by your organization to regularly monitor the internet for references to Banned Books Week?

Thanks. This time my comment includes a progressive librarian saying BBW is propaganda, and shows the ALA intentionally misquoting him to change what people think he said into something he didn’t say. Sort of like using propaganda to hide the use of propaganda.

As to my search, yes, I use Google, for searching blogs, and I search for “Banned Books Week.”

Alas, no one pays me. As I promoted the work of a progressive librarian, I suppose it’s okay by me if you want to believe the Progressive Librarians Guild is paying me. Personally, I’d like to join the Progresso Librarians Guild. Yum!

No, these books haven’t been banned… this is to keep people from trying to destroy art for other people because of swearing, homosexuality, or anything… and this promotes these often popular books because ALA believes this is wrong.